Kevin Navarro, a 15-year-old male from Long Beach, California, was fatally shot on May 28, 2026, in North Long Beach. The shooting unfolded in the middle of the day near Cedar Avenue and Plymouth Street, a residential area close to Addams Elementary School. Police were called shortly after 12:30 p.m. for a reported shooting, and when officers arrived, they found Kevin suffering from a gunshot wound.
Neighbors described the moment as sudden and frightening.
One nearby resident reportedly heard a single gunshot, went outside, and saw the victim lying in the street in front of a home on Plymouth Street. There was no clear indication of a loud argument or confrontation immediately before the shooting, and police initially released few details about what may have led to the violence. Long Beach Fire Department personnel rushed Kevin to a local hospital, but he later died from his injuries.
The gunman fled before officers could take him into custody, prompting a major police response that stretched across the neighborhood for hours. Officers surrounded the area and searched homes, yards, alleyways, and nearby streets. SWAT units were brought in, and police used drones, helicopters, armored vehicles, patrol officers, homicide detectives, and specialized units as they looked for the shooter. Witnesses and police activity suggested the suspect may have been seen jumping fences while trying to escape. Despite two SWAT searches that day, officers did not immediately find the gunman.
The investigation moved quickly after the shooting. Long Beach homicide detectives identified the suspected shooter as another 15-year-old Long Beach resident. Because the suspect is a juvenile, police did not publicly release his name. Detectives with the Special Investigations Division located and arrested him the next day, May 29, in Lakewood.
The teenage suspect was booked on suspicion of murder and being a minor in possession of a firearm. After his arrest, he was transported to Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall, where police said he was being held without bail. Detectives said the case would be presented to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office for filing consideration.
Police Chief Wally Hebeish publicly expressed concern over the killing, saying it was deeply troubling that both the victim and the suspected shooter were only 15 years old. He said officers and detectives had worked nonstop in the days after the shooting to secure evidence, identify the suspect, and make an arrest. As of the latest available reports, investigators had not publicly announced a motive, and the circumstances leading up to the shooting remained under investigation.
